Visit the Chilterns

The Chilterns covers an area of outstanding natural beauty and is a nationally-protected area containing some of the finest countryside in the UK. You can discover beautiful ancient woodlands, from carpets of bluebells in the spring to the golden colours of autumn, rare chalk streams, rolling downland and gorgeous panoramic views of the Vale of Aylesbury. There are miles of public rights of way for all to enjoy, including footpaths, open access routes, bridal ways and National Trails such as the ancient Ridgeway, part of the oldest road in Britain that follows the chalk escarpment of the Chiltern Hills.

Discover the many hidden treasures that lie within the Chilterns. The ancient landscape has traces still visible today of many previous settlers and is littered with Bronze Age barrows, archaeological remains, Iron Age forts, medieval churches and deer enclosures, 18th Century sawpits and 20th Century military trenches. For a fantabulous day out or short stayover why not combine your visit to the railway with a visit to the historic houses of Hughenden, Chenies and Cliveden or see the Roald Dahl Museum and Story Centre in Great Missenden and much more.

Experience the rich wildlife in the Chilterns by walking through the ever-changing flora and fauna including orchids and butterflies, or spend some time at The Horses Trust. The Chilterns played an important role in one of the greatest conservation success stories of the 20th Century; the reintroduction of the Red Kites, that were driven to extinction in England at the end of the 19th Century. In the early 1990s Red Kites were imported from Spain and released into the Chilterns and since have slowly been reintroduced into other areas of the UK. Why not have a picnic overlooking a stunning viewpoint and watch these majestic birds soaring over the rolling hills.